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Followers of Christ,
I have chosen to share with you for this month of Thanksgiving, 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” We have a faithful and just God. One of the central aspects of the gospel message is that every human has fallen short of God’s moral standard. We’ve all sinned, or missed the mark of living rightly. We’ve all messed up, made mistakes, and acted in a way that goes against God’s design for our lives. Sin separates us from being in a right relationship with God. But while we were separated from God, Jesus made a way for us to return back to Him through His death and resurrection. Now, we can be in a relationship with God again!
But even though we’ve been forgiven for our sins, it doesn’t always feel that way. We can still carry around the guilt and shame from our sinful actions—even though we’ve been forgiven by Christ. That’s why 1 John 1:9 is a great reminder: when we confess our sins to God, He is faithful to forgive us. Our forgiveness is not based on our own faithfulness—it’s based on God’s faithfulness. Since we know God is faithful and cannot lie, we can trust that He will forgive us and purify us from everything that keeps us from Him.
This means that we don’t need to live under the weight of our own guilt. We have truly been freed in Christ. Forgiveness should empower us to continue to live righteous and faithful lives with God, and model forgiveness to others who need it!
Take a moment and thank God for forgiving your sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thank Him that you are now a child of God, free from the guilt of the past. Ask Him to strengthen you as you walk in that truth.
Is there something you need to confess? Or someone you need to forgive? Invite the Holy Spirit to show you your next step.When we choose to forgive others, we reflect the love of Jesus and become more like Him.
Let’s be thankful our God is a faithful and loving God full of mercy and forgiveness.
Pastor Kathi Kraus